This application relates to a floating dock system comprised of dock members, such as drive-on watercraft lifts, floating dock segments, and the like, and, in particular, to a connector for assembling floating dock members into a floating dock system, and a supplemental floatation member for watercraft lifts.
Floating dock systems are made from selected dock members (such as rectilinear sections and watercraft lifts) which are assembled together by connectors. The rectilinear sections can be used to form deck areas, piers and the like, and the watercraft lifts can be connected to the formed deck areas, piers, etc. Over the years, many different types of connectors have been developed and used. Some require the connector, or a portion of the connector, be installed from below the dock section. It would be desirable to provide a connector which is easy to install.
Watercraft lifts can receive small personal watercraft (or PWCs), such as are sold under the name SeaDoo® and WaveRunner®, or larger watercraft (for example, watercraft weighing up to 4500 lbs.). Larger watercraft typically have larger engines, and hence the rear of the watercraft is heavy. With a typical watercraft lift, the heavy back end of the watercraft may be heavy enough, such that the natural buoyancy of the watercraft lift does not raise the back end of the watercraft out of the water, as is desirable.